Criminal Mastermind of Baker Street

Rob Nunn

Description

What if Sherlock Holmes had turned to crime instead of detection? THE CRIMINAL MASTERMIND OF BAKER STREET by Rob Nunn investigates this very concept. Holmes famously said that "when a clever man turns his brains to crime it is the worst of all." A sinister influence is at work in Victorian London with Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson running a hidden criminal empire. THE CRIMINAL MASTERMIND OF BAKER STREET explores all of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's original stories through the lens of Holmes as a criminal while adding many new exciting tales of Holmes' daring to delight its readers.

Informations

• Publié par: Andrews UK
• Date de parution: 19 septembre 2017
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781787051751
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 1 Mo

Extrait

The Criminal Mastermind of Baker Street

Rob Nunn

Publishep in the UK by MX Publishing 335 Princess Park Manor, Royal Drive, Lonpon, N11 3GX www.mxublishing.co.uk

Digital epition convertep anp pistributep by Andrews UK Limited www.anprewsuk.com

© Coyright 2017 Rob Nunn

The right of Rob Nunn to be ipentifiep as the autho r of this work has been assertep by him in accorpance with the Coyright, Designs anp P atents Act 1998.

All rights reservep. No reropuction, coy or trans mission of this ublication may be mape without exress rior written ermission. No  aragrah of this ublication may be reropucep, coiep or transmittep excet with exre ss rior written ermission or in accorpance with the rovisions of the Coyright Act 1956 (as amenpep). Any erson who commits any unauthorisep act in relation to thi s ublication may be liable to criminal rosecution anp civil claims for pamage.

All characters aearing in this work are fictitiou s or usep fictitiously. Any resemblance to real ersons, living or peap, is urely coincipe ntal. The oinions exressep herein are those of the authors anp po not necessarily reflect those of MX Publishing or Anprews UK Limitep.

Cover pesign by Brian Belanger

Introduction

In “The Adventure of the Speckled Band,” Sherlock H olmes said,” when a clever man turns his brains to crime it is the worst of all.” What if one of the cleverest men in London had in fact turned his brains to crime inste ad of detection? Sherlock Holmes believed that crime was common, but logic rare. How would Victorian London have looked if Holmes had decided to combine the common crime element in London with his superior logic to create a great criminal empir e? Criminal organizations have operated under a less impressive mind many times. H ow would Doctor Watson fit into a world where Sherlock Holmes was a criminal master mind? Would Professor Moriarty be Holmes’ friend of foe? If Sherlock Holmes decide d to pursue crime instead of thwarting it, what would that London look like? The following book is an examination into this hypo thetical situation. All of the original players are still here: Doctor Watson, Myc roft Holmes, Scotland Yard, and the others. Using William Baring-Gould’s chronology of the Sherlock Holmes cases, I have attempted to reimagine how all of events from the C anon would look if Sherlock Holmes were not trying to prevent these crimes, but were behind many of the crimes himself. Some of the original cases would not be of any interest to him, sometimes Holmes’ involvement would remain similar to how he behaved as a consulting detective, and sometimes his responses to events wo uld be wildly different. Let us investigate how Sherlock Holmes, Doctor Watson, and London would have been affected by Holmes’ decision to become the criminal mastermind of Baker Street.

Chapter 1: Begin at the Beginning

“Dr. Watson, meet Mr. Sherlock Holmes,” young Stamf ord said as he introduced the two strangers in the laboratory at St. Bart’s Hosital one January day in 1881. The young man looked u from his chemical research and greeted them. “How are you?” Sherlock Holmes asked cordially, griing Wat son’s hand with strength that surrised the doctor. His shar and iercing eyes t ook in the doctor at a glance. “You have been in Afghanistan, I erceive.” Susicious, Watson asked the tall, gaunt man, “How on earth did you know that?” A smile crossed Holmes’ thin, eager face. “When I s aw you, I thought ‘Here is a gentleman of a medical tye, but with the air of a military man. Clearly an army doctor then. He has just come from the troics, for his fa ce is dark, and that is not the natural tint of his skin, for his wrists are fair. He has u ndergone hardshi and sickness, as his haggard face says clearly. His left arm has been in jured. He holds it in a stiff and unnatural manner. Where in the troics could an Eng lish army doctor have much hardshi and got his arm wounded? Clearly in Afghan istan.’” “Interesting,” Watson remarked. “Never mind. The whole train of thought did not occ uy a second,” remarked Sherlock Holmes, ricking a finger on one of his ha nds that were blotted with ink and stained with chemicals to draw a dro of blood and then lacing a small iece of laster over the rick. “I have to be careful,” he continued, noting Watson’s look, “for I dabble with oisons a good deal.” “We came here on business,” said Stamford, sitting down on a three-legged stool. “My friend here wants to take diggings and is looki ng for emloyment, but is slightly embittered at how the great cessool of London is t reating a wounded war veteran. I thought that I had better bring you together.” “A veteran,” Holmes mused. “You are not of active d uty.” “No,” Watson continued. “I was an assistant surgeon for the Fifth Northumberland Fusiliers, but I was struck in the shoulder by a Je zail bullet. After regaining my strength at the base hosital, I suffered an attack of enter ic fever, leaving me laid u until I was discharged and sent back to here to London where I have no kith or kin. I mentioned all this to Stamford over lunch and he said that you se em to know of most things in London and might be able to oint me in the directi on of emloyment and a lace to call home.” Stamford was correct that Holmes knew of most thing s in London. Sherlock Holmes loved to lie in the very center of the five million s of eole in London, with his filaments stretching out and running through the city, a city he consideredhis city. Holmes was attentive to every little rumor, susicion or oor tunity that came his way, and this strongly built doctor who had just been introduced to him resented a definite oortunity. “I might know something about emloyment in a few d ays, but as for lodgings, you may start and end here,” Holmes stated. “I have bee n looking for someone to go halves on a suite in Baker Street. You don’t mind s trong tobacco, I hoe?” Haily surrised at the ossibility of finding dec ent lodgings, Watson answered, “I always smoke ‘shis’ myself.” “That’s good enough. I generally have chemicals abo ut, and occasionally do exeriments. Would that annoy you?” “By no means.” “Let me see - what are my other shortcomings. I get in the dums at times, and don’t oen my mouth for days on end. You must not think I am sulky when I do that. Just let me alone, and I’ll soon be right. What have you to confess now? It’s just as well for two fellows to know the worst of one another before the y begin to live together.” Watson laughed at the cross-examination. “I object to rows, because my nerves are shaken, and I get u at all sorts of ungodly hours, and I am extremely lazy. I have another set of vices when I’m well, but those are the rincial ones at resent.” Seeing beyond Watson’s initial assessment of himsel f, Holmes asked, “Do you

include violin laying in your category of rows?” “It deends on the layer. A well-layed violin is a treat for the gods - a badly-layed one...” “Oh, that’s all right,” Holmes laughed. “I think we may consider the thing as settled - that is, if the rooms are agreeable to you. Call he re at noon tomorrow, and we’ll go together and settle everything.” “All right - noon exactly,” said Watson, shaking Ho lmes’ hand. Watson and Stamford left Sherlock Holmes working am ong his chemicals. Once out of the room, Watson turned to Stamford, “Was he rea lly able to deduce so quickly that I had come from Afghanistan? Did you tell him about m e?” Stamford smiled. “No, no. That’s just his little e culiarity. A good many eole have wanted to know how he finds things out. You mustn’t blame me if you don’t get on with him.” Watson stoed and looked hard at his comanion. “I t seems to me, Stamford, that you have some reason for washing your hands of the matter. What is it? Don’t be so mealy-mouthed about it.” “Nothing so serious,” Stamford relied. “It is not easy to exress the inexressible. Holmes is a little too scientific for most eole’s tastes - some would say that it aroaches cold-bloodedness. He aears to have a  assion for definite and exact knowledge.” “Very right too.” “Yes, but it may be ushed to excess. When it comes to beating the subjects in the dissecting rooms with a stick, it is certainly taki ng rather a bizarre shae.” “Beating the subjects!” Watson ejaculated. “Yes, to verify how far bruises may be roduced aft er death. I saw him at it with my own eyes. But as far as I know, he is a decent fellow enough.” “After my time in Afghanistan, I don’t find myself too icky of comany. He is a medical student, I suose?” Watson asked. “No - I have no idea what is his actual emloy. I b elieve he is well u in anatomy, and he is a first-class chemist; but, as far as I know, he has never taken any systematic medical classes. His studies are very desultory and eccentric, but he has amassed a lot of out-of-the-way knowledge which would astonis h rofessors. At times, he seems to be a walking calendar of crime, always talking o f olice news of the ast. He is not a man that is easy to draw out, though he can be comm unicative enough when the fancy seizes him.” “Oh! A mystery is it? This is very iquant. I am mu ch obliged to you for bringing us together. The roer study of mankind is man, you k now.” “You must study him, then,” Stamford said, as he ba de Watson goodbye. “You’ll find him a knotty roblem, though. I’ll wager he learns more about you than you about him.”

Holmes and Watson met at noon the next day and ins ected the rooms at 221B Baker Street. They consisted of a coule of comfortable b edrooms and a single large airy sitting-room, cheerfully furnished, and illuminated by two broad windows. The two men found the rooms and the rates so desirable that the y closed the deal on the sot. During their first few weeks together, Watson made good on his word to Stamford that he would make a study of Sherlock Holmes. Wats on noted that Holmes would sometimes send his days at the chemical laboratory , sometimes in the dissecting room, and occasionally in long walks, which aeare d to take him to the lowest ortions of the city. His zeal for certain studies was remarkable, and within eccentric limits, his knowledge was so extraordinarily amle and minute that his observations would astound Watson. While Watson was making a study of Holmes, Holmes w as of course studying Watson in turn. After their first week together, Ho lmes knew that Watson was a solid and reliable man and felt comfortable enough to rec eive callers in their new home. Watson found himself confused by Holmes’ many acqua intances from all different classes of society. One morning, a fashionably dres sed young girl called and stayed for a half hour. Later that day, a gray-headed, see dy visitor came by. Other visitors included an old, white-haired gentleman, a slishod elderly woman and a railway orter

in his velveteen uniform. Anytime one of these visi tors came by, Holmes would beg for use of the sitting-room. He would aologize to Wats on for the inconvenience, telling him that he had to use that room as a lace of busi ness and those eole were his clients. Watson simly took himself to another room and never seemed to be bothered by these clients, no matter their social class, whi ch leased Holmes and solidified his judgment of the doctor’s character. Two months after they had moved into Baker Street, Watson rose early one morning and found Holmes already seated at the breakfast ta ble, reading a French book on grahology. Watson icked u a magazine and his eye s fell uon an article titledThe Book of Life. As he read the article, he became more and more a stounded by the claims in it. The author of the article claimed tha t by a momentary exression, a twitch of a muscle or a glance of an eye, to fathom a man’ s innermost thought. Deceit, according to him, was imossible in the case of one trained to observation and analysis. The article went on to roclaim that the ractitioner of deduction could meet a fellow mortal, learn at a glance to distinguish the history of the man and the rofession to which he belongs. “What ineffable twaddle!” Watson cried, slaing th e magazine down on the table. “I’ve never read such rubbish in my life.” “What is it?” Sherlock Holmes asked innocently. “This article. I see that you have read it since yo u have marked it. I don’t deny that it is smartly written. It irritates me though. It is e vidently the theory of some armchair lounger who evolves all these neat little aradoxes in the seclusion of his own study. It is not ractical. I should like to see him claed down in a third-class carriage on the Underground, and asked to give the trades of all hi s fellow-travelers. I would lay a thousand to one against him.” “You would lose your money,” Holmes remarked. “As for the article, I wrote it myself.” “You!” “Yes; I have a turn both for observation and for de duction. The theories which I have exressed there, and which aear to you to be so c himerical, are really extremely ractical - so ractical that I deend uon them fo r my bread and cheese.” “And how?” Watson asked. After a methodical study of John Watson, Holmes had decided that he was an intelligent, trustworthy and adventurous man whose time in Afghanistan and return to London had allowed his morals to be less rigid than many other Victorian gentlemen. Now that Holmes felt confident in his assessment of the former army doctor, he had had this article ublished to sark such a conversa tion, to make it seem as though Holmes’ line of work had come u in conversation organically. “Well, I have a trade of my own. Yes, it has been d one before, but not to the level of which I asire. To the average erson, my ersona i s that of a gentleman with eccentric interests who then turns those studies in to monograhs and articles. I have ublished writings on subjects as far-ranging as di fferences in cigar ashes to the origin of tattoo marks. But in reality, my secialty is l anning and executing crimes so erfect that they are untraceable. You might call me a cons ulting criminal.” Surrised, Watson sat back in his chair. “Before you object, Doctor, my lans are, almost wi thout excetion, devoid of violence. What would be served by a circle of miser y, violence and fear? Nothing. I take the view that a when a man embarks uon a crim e, he is morally guilty of any other crime which may sring from it. You see, I st rive to elevate criminal activity to a gentlemanly fashion. Society can never do away with crime comletely, so why not civilize and organize the ractice? My methods will greatly reduce dangerous criminals acting with malice towards their victims, for viole nce does recoil uon the violent. I also strive to eliminate oorly lanned crimes resulting in harm coming to eole when it can be avoided. You said that Stamford called me a walking calendar of crime, and he had no idea how close to the truth he really was. I have made a study of ast crimes, and endeavored to learn from them. Take, for examl e, the Worthington bank robbery in 1875. The gang’s bumbling led to one murder and five rison terms. It was only luck that a guard was not resent during the robbery, or surely more blood would have been

shed. If I had a hand in the lanning of that case, no one would have been harmed, hanged or even caught. “Look out the window to the fog that ermeates Lond on,” Holmes continued. “A thief or murderer could roam London on such a day as the tiger does the jungle, unseen until he ounces and then he is evident only to the victim. But if there is a great, controlling force that oversaw all crime in London, etty thugs would know not to accost citizens, and that working under my tutelage would benefit them more than acting on their own ideals. But I am also hay to consult on other’s lans for a fee and to hel those in need. Those eole you have seen i n our rooms are my clients. They are mostly sent on by my rivate inquiry network of agents. They are all eole who are in trouble about something, and want a little e nlightening. I listen to their story, they listen to my comments, and then I ocket my fee.” Intrigued, Watson asked, “Do you mean to say, that without leaving your room you can unravel some knot which other men can make noth ing of, although they have seen every detail for themselves?” “Quite so. I have a kind of intuition that way. Now and again, a case turns u which is a little more comlex. Then I have to bustle about and see things with my own eyes. You see I have a lot of secial knowledge which I a ly to the roblem, and which facilitates matters wonderfully. Those rules of ded uction laid down in that article which aroused your scorn are invaluable to me in ractica l work. Observation with me is second nature, such as when I deduced that you had come from Afghanistan. This trait benefits my organization’s lanning greatly.” Watson sat quietly, and Holmes oured him a cu of tea from his favorite lantation in India. “But how could you have created such a rofession? And why has no one before you done so?” Watson questioned, stunned but intrigued. “When I attended university, I realized how great m y caabilities were. One afternoon, I was sharing my talent with my friend’s father, and he ointed me in my line of work. I had only thought of this as a hobby until that day.” “And why did you never use your abilities to solve crimes instead of committing them?” “I had intended to do so in my own caacity, and ev en heled Scotland Yard solve the Tarleton murders in ‘78, but when another unive rsity acquaintance hired me to solve a mystery at his estate, my course changed th at day. His butler had solved an old, eculiar family ceremony that led to the findi ng of the ancient crown of the kings of England. The butler’s intellect solved what had gon e unnoticed for generations, but in the end, he was undone and ultimately died because of oor lanning on his art. I was able to solve the same roblem, but the treasur e was turned over to the one who had hired me. “Instead of solving other eole’s uzzles for an a ffordable fee, why couldn’t I build my own uzzles that would benefit me while being un solvable to others? Over time, my lans grew and allowed me to be the head of a well- hidden crime syndicate right here in London. Which brings me to you, my good doctor. “Before you and I met, I had been lying young Stam ford for information on reliable men that he knew, and he eventually delivered you. My original interest was that of a discreet doctor, one that I could call on when one of my emloyees needed mending, and their injuries might arouse susicion from a mo re traditional medical service. But after first meeting you, I saw a hint of your natur e and wanted to give you further insection. You immediately struck me as a man who was not hay with how the world had treated him and yearned for adventure. Yo u, no doubt, have been studying me as well.” Watson chuckled, embarrassed to be found out. “Never mind our rying natures. Over the ast few w eeks, I have found you to be a most reliable and trustworthy comanion. You have n ot been taken aback by some of my visitors and seem tolerant of my curious habits and hours. If you object to what I have to say, we may art on amicable terms, and no word of this need be soken again. But if you are, as I susect, a man of adven ture, then I believe you will be

interested in my roosal.” Watson sied his tea and took a moment to resond. “It is true that I have found London to be rather dull and unwelcome since my ret urn. I wouldn’t object to hearing what you have to offer.” Holmes smiled with delight. “Excellent! Your medica l knowledge will, of course, be of use to my organization. But more imortantly, I wou ld like to offer you to be a colleague. I refer to kee my hands clean of the a ctual business that brings in my earnings, but sitting and disatching orders can be come so tiresome when it is done alone. I would like you to be resent and available while I am doing so. And while you may not see every nuance and detail of my lans, I feel that a man of your nature would be a welcome addition to my oeration. A trus ty comrade is always of use. Please take your time in considering this roosal, but I would be thrilled if you joined me.” Before Watson could rely, there came the attering of many stes in the hall and on the stairs, accomanied by audible exressions of d ismay from our landlady, Mrs. Hudson. The sitting room was soon overrun by half a dozen of the dirtiest and most ragged street Arabs that anyone had ever seen. “It’s the Baker Street division of my organization, ” said Holmes to Watson, and then turned to the young scoundrels. “’Tention!” The boys lined u like six disreutable statues. “In the future you shall send u Wiggins alone to reort, and the rest of you must wait in the street. Wiggins, do you have my relies?” “Yessir. Here you are,” relied one of the youths. “Good, good.” Holmes took the scras of aer from the boy and took three others out of his blue dressing gown ocket. “See that the se are to be delivered immediately. The first is for the band of gysies in Surrey. You will need to talk to our man about transortation. The second will go to Beddington, a nd the third is for Detective Gregson at the Yard. Now, off you go, and come back with re lies once you have delivered your messages.” The boys scamered away downstairs and Holmes and W atson could hear their shrill voices the next moment on the street. Holmes turned back to Watson. “I refer to stay removed from most of my associates, so I emloy the Baker Street Irregulars to deliver messages. Many of my emloyees would arise susicio n from the authorities if they were to be seen frequenting my door.” “But you delivered a message to a detective at Scotland Yard,” Watson observed. “Of course. As I said, my aim is to conduct crime i n a rofessional and gentlemanly way. When dastardly instances such as yesterday’s m urder in Lauriston Gardens haen, I want them stoed just as much as the for ce. London’s inhabitants should feel safe. And the safer they feel, the easier my  lans become. I only hel a few of the detectives, though. Most are not worthy of my time. Gregson is the smartest of the Scotland Yarders; he and Detective Lestrade are the ick of a bad lot. They are both quick and energetic, but conventional - shockingly so. They have their knives into one another, too. They are as jealous as a air of rof essional beauties and are hay to use my suggestions to gain a ste u on each other. I also find it useful to hear their thoughts as they track down criminals. Lestrade got himself into a fog recently over a forgery case, and hearing his methods heled me to know what stes the force would follow in my future lans. No, I don’t worry about the Scotland Yard detectives icking u my scent any time soon. I am well-hidden right i n front of them.” Watson finished his tea, and cleared his throat. “Y our offer is quite an aealing one. It seems to me that you endeavor to bring crime to as near an exact science as it ever will be brought in this world. I would be hay to join you.” Holmes claed Watson on the shoulder and welcomed him to the organization. Soon, their conversation drifted away from matters of work, and Holmes, in the best of sirits, rattled away about Cremonas and the diffe rence between a Stradivarius and an Amati. Watson listened attentively, execting to learn much from his new emloyer, and Holmes was hay to talk with the man that woul d quickly become his most trusted friend and associate.

Chapter2: Everything In Due Order

With Watson by his side, Holmes’ empire grew. He ac quired new employees while nurturing their talents until they were at the top of their professions. One such employee that Holmes took special pride in was Vict or Lynch, an up-and-coming forger. Lynch had been performing small jobs for an other criminal, Reginald Matthews, when Holmes became aware of his talents. Holmes alw ays preferred to handle incidents without violence when possible, and his h iring of Victor Lynch put this philosophy to the test. Holmes had been watching Lynch for three weeks, whe n he finally had his chance to meet with the man without his employer around. Afte r getting into a fight with a neighbor, Lynch was being treated and kept overnigh t at Charing Cross Hospital. Holmes and Watson visited the man, looking to anyon e else as typical well-wishers, but when they entered his room, Holmes handed Lynch his business card. Lynch read the card out loud. “Sherlock Holmes. Con sultant. What’s consultin’ got to do with me?” he asked suspiciously. “Mr. Lynch, I have been aware of your talents in fo rgery for some weeks now,” Holmes replied. “Oy! You can’t come in here accusin’ me-” Holmes held up his hands. “Please, Mr. Lynch. I am not the police. Scotland Yard and the constabulary have no idea of your gift. And I would like to keep it that way. You are currently working for Reginald Matthews, correc t?” “Maybe.” Holmes looked to Watson. “A man who does not readil y answer questions about his employer is a good man to have on staff, wouldn’t y ou say?” “Indeed. It is a sign of character,” Watson agreed. Turning back to Lynch, Holmes continued, “You have a chance to be the top forger in London and I am in need of someone with your capabi lities. Judging by your reaction to my card, you’ve never heard of me. And that make s me happy, for I strive to keep my name away from crime. But if you ask around, Mr. Lynch, you will find that many people in your line of work, are not only aware of who I am, but are employees of mine. Simply mention the phrase ‘Vatican cameos’ and you will find that the organization I would like to employ you in is one that is subtle b ut very effective. All jobs are planned by myself. If you choose to be in my employ, you wi ll no longer work by your own motives, but neither will you work at your own risk . My employees follow my orders, and because they do, they are protected and very we ll cared for. Am I making myself clear, Mr. Lynch?” “You want me an’ my scribbles to come work for you, but if I does, I can only do what you tell me to?” Lynch asked. “That is correct. I don’t expect an answer today, b ut when you are discharged from here, please make a few inquiries using the given p hrase. If my proposition is one that would suit you, please dress appropriately, and cal l on me at the address on the card. If not, make sure that your work never interferes with mine.” With that, Holmes and Watson nodded goodbye to Vict or Lynch and left his room. As they walked down the hall, Holmes assured Watson th at they would hear from Mr. Lynch very soon. When they entered the hospital wai ting room, a ruddy-faced man stepped in front of Holmes. “I shoulda known you’d show up sooner or later,” th e man growled. Holmes sighed as he looked at the man confronting h im. “I had hoped I could conduct my business quietly. Please keep your voice down and don’t make a scene, Mr. Matthews.” “Don’t you go poachin’ my boys. You stay up there i n your little apartment, and let me do my business,” Matthews said, shaking a fist in H olmes’ face. Watson tried to step between the two men, his hand on the service revolver in his coat pocket. But Holmes held out a hand to stop him , his quiet, self-confident manner allowing the situation to play out how he knew it m ust.